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Car Accident while my car was at the dealership for service. What should I do?

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hoavu

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Arizona.
Hi Everyone,
My case that monday morning approximately 8:45 AM, I brought my Toyota Corolla to Toyota/Scion Dealer for service maintenance and check the shake of wheel. The Customer Service Assistant took my car information and told me to wait about 1:30 to 2 hours for the process. While I was waiting in the waiting area of this dealer, the Customer Assistant and the Service Director came and told me that my car had accident and was brought to Body Shop. I was shocked because I just bought 6 months ago a brand new car with no accident, no default record…, since then I take good care, and now the accident happened to my brand new car during the Dealership service time while I didn’t drive. I asked them that what happened with my car, and they said my car was driven to road test for the wheel by their technician and hit another car. I couldn’t discuss with the Dealership because my English not good enough. They brought a rental car to me and I went home. Afternoon, I came back Toyota/Scion Dealer with my brother who sponsors me to buy this car. We discussed with Service Director. I just want one thing that I brought the new car with no accident, no default record into this Dealer, and I want to bring my car out with the same condition. I am paying for the bank and I don’t want to make payment for the car which had accident without my fault
My question is what should I do if the Dealership deny responsibility because they said that they did the right process and that fault of accident belong to the other party, and they expressed that they did the process and that the only thing they could do was to deal with the other party Insurance Company to make the process go faster.
This problem influenced me because I am studying to take a State Board Examination next 10 days. Please give me a advice to solve it. Thank
 


moburkes

Senior Member
The dealership is responsible for repairing the damage to your vehicle, that their technician caused. Your vehicle was not brand new when you brought it to them, so they will not replace it with a brand new vehicle.

If YOU were driving the vehicle, and somone else hit it, you still wouldn't be entitled to a new one.

Your on-time payments have nothing to do with this.
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
If the accident was not the fault of the person from the shop who was driving it, then you WILL have to go through either the at-fault driver's insurance company, or your own.
 

hoavu

Junior Member
Thank you for your reply. I know the insurance company will repair the car. Has the dealership not responsibility while my car was at the dealership for service? I requested the dealership that I brought to them the car without accident and default record, I didn't want the new car but I wanted to go out with the car with the same condition and price, I didn't want a car was accident. If the dealership deny my request, what can I do? Thank you.
 
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moburkes

Senior Member
They didn't mean to cause the accident. They had to road test the vehicle to determine the cause of the shaking and to determine if they fixed the problem. You don't want them t return the vehicle in the same condition that you gave it to them - you gave it to them broken. They will fix it.

Please tell me how they were negligent when the driver was hit by another motorist.
 

hoavu

Junior Member
They said their technician was driving on the road and hit the other car which went out from parking lot without look around, this car was given ticket by police. That's all I know.
The same condition I mean that no accident and default record. I did no thing wrong,I don't want to make a payment for defective car, I don't want my insurance grow up and the value of my car go down. Does Dealership has no any responsibility with their customer?
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
Your insurance will not go up, the accident was not your fault nor the fault of the person driving the car. It is not the dealership's fault either, it's the fault of the driver of the other car. They are responsible for the cost to repair your car, but there is nothing you can do about the fact that your car has now been in an accident. Accidents happen, it's a fact of life. Some states do recognize claims for "diminished value" as a result of an accident, but I don't know if yours is one of them. If you can determine how much your car's value was lowered due to the accident, you can try to make a claim for it with the at-fault driver's insurance, but you might not get it. The older your vehicle is, the less the value will be reduced by the presence of an accident in its history.
 

JustAPal00

Senior Member
When the dealrship is done with the repairs to the vehicle, you won't even be able to tell it was hit. If your worried about the diminished value, then I would suggest suing the other driver for that amount if there is any. I'm not sure if AZ is a diminished value state.
 

moburkes

Senior Member
AZ does not recognize DV, based on case law. They say that as long as the replacement materials are of like kind as quality, you've been made whole.
 

msiron

Member
How bad was it? What is the dollar amount to fix it? Is the body shop at the dealership fixing it, or did it go somewhere else to be repaired? If the dealer is fixing it because it's considered minor they could do you a service and not report it so it wouldn't show on a carfax.

Your English is good. I wish I could speak another language as well as your English.
 

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